For months now the tension has been building in Santa Cruz County over whether or not to allow dogs off-leash on county beaches.

Earlier this month the county's Parks and Recreation Commission began the process of forming a committee to study the issue and make a recommendation to county supervisors. The Supervisors will have the final say, but until that happens, expect passionate arguments on both sides of the issue.

But should it really be that difficult? With miles and miles of wonderful beaches, surely it's not too much to allow a modest stretch of sand & surf - such as the one proposed between 20th Avenue and Moran Lake - to be opened for dog owners to let their dogs run off-leash. A window of a couple of hours in the morning and a couple of hours in the evening would ensure everybody can enjoy the beach in the way they choose.

But that's not where the compromise should end. If the county does allow dogs off-leash, it should also increase the fines substantially for violating the new rules. One dog owner told our news department that the $25 fine he's occasionally had to pay just isn't enough to keep him from having his dog enjoy a good off-leash run in the sand. So make the fine far more onerous. Ticketing somebody, say, $250 for an unauthorized off-leash romp will surely incentivize any dog-owner's attitude adjustment and reassure the daytime beach visitors that those in charge are indeed listening to their concerns for personal safety.

With this kind of positive compromise, balanced by an added punitive punch, we'd hope that both sides in this argument might feel better about going to the beach.